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indulgence, sorrow and ennui, is said to have attained equanimity or Sāmāyika. This practice of equanimity is equated with religion itself. In Ācārānga, it is said that all the worthy peoplepreach religion as equanimity. Thus, for Jainas, the observance of religious life is nothing but the practice for the attainment of equanimity. According to them, it is the essence of all types of religious activities and they all are prescribed only to attain it. Not only in Jainism but in Hinduism also, we find various references in support of equanimity. It defines yoga as equanimity. Similarly, in Bhagvat it is said that the observance of equanimity is the worship of lord.
The whole framework of Jaina Sadhana has been built on the foundation of Sāmāyika i.e. the practice for equanimity. All the religious tenets are made for it. Ācārya Haribhadra maintains that one who observes the equanimity or Samabhava will surely attain the emancipation, whether he belongs to Svetambara sect or Digambara sect, whether he is Bauddha or the follower of any other religion. It is said in Jaina religious texts that one who observes hard penances and austerities such as eating once in a month or two as well as one who makes the donations of crores of golden coins every day, cannot attain emancipation unless he attains equanimity. It is only through the attainment of equanimity of mind that one can get emancipation or liberation. ācārya Kundakunda says "what is the use of residing in forest, mortification of body, observance of various fasts, study of scriptures and keeping silence etc. to a saint, who is devoid of equanimity” (Niyamasāra, 124).
Now we come to the next question how one can attain this equanimity of mind. Mere verbal saying that I shall observe the equanimity of mind and refrain from all types of injurious activities does not have any meaning unless we seriously practise it in our own life. For this, first of all, one should know the causes which disturb
275 Jainism and its History
